Bolt driver saves passenger on suicide mission in Cross River

A driver with an e-hailing company, Bolt, Mr. Kingsley Benson, on Monday stopped a passenger from committing suicide in Calabar, Cross River.

The driver told journalists he observed something unusual with the passenger when she boarded his vehicle and kept vigil on her.

He said the lady made a cryptic statement that unsettled him when he picked her up at the Bogobiri area of the city.

He said: “The lady requested a ride from Bogobiri this morning, but I observed she was looking really sad. I tried to initiate a conversation and she just gave me this cold and sad smile and requested I turn on my air conditioner.

“The passenger’s request now got me worried when she said ‘driver please turn your air-conditioner and let me enjoy this last one.

READ ALSO: Police arrest 3 suspects over Bolt driver’s murder in Abuja

“But before we got to her destination at Edgerly in Calabar South, the statement came up again.

“Then my instincts made me take a closer look at the nylon bag she was carrying. Although not transparent enough, I saw what looked like bottles of sniper.

“That was when I knew something was wrong. Remembering that the government had banned the substance, it then dawned on me that she wanted to commit suicide, and I started thinking of what to do to help her.

“I knew there wasn’t time to start talking, then I told her I needed to make a quick stop at Watt market and she agreed.

“I thought of driving to a police station nearby but decided against it because the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital which is also nearby would be the best place to make a stopover.

“I told her I needed to buy fuel because the hospital also has a filling station, immediately I drove into the premises, and I went straight to report what I observed.

“Immediately they took her into their facility and checked her bag, they discovered she had sniper and she confessed she wanted to end it all when I dropped her at home.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now